Quote of the Day - Anti-diets, Yoga Inspiration & the Jennifers

Let's focus on feeling good and Healthy around this Holiday Season, not panicking about the skinny. Like most holidays Christmas involves a lot of (fairly epic) food-porn. Families, friends, and loved ones all come together around the dinner table.

While there obviously isn't any need to overdo the feasting and slip into any extremes, there equally shouldn't be a need to spend the entire time feeling guilty or getting lost in a calorie-counting panic.

Balance, a healthy approach and a positive mindset can provide results for the long-run without having to feel like you've got to miss out in order to keep hitting those diet-targets (often un-healthy and un-maintainable - a great read on the health dangers of dieting and why most popular ones are not sustainable in the long run HERE). 

It's so easy to get lost under the pressures of the many backwards views of what a normal/good/perfect body-size is. Women in particular are incredibly guilty of fuelling each others insecurities as well as their own. The sad irony being that when this pressure goes too far the size-bullies frequently turn around and critique again, this time it's perhaps disconcertingly thin (clearly a win win). 

And while blaming the media (any Tabloid cover, any gossip show, most casting directors) is an easy out, the everyday ladies (and gents, looking at you too!) are just as guilty for furthering these questionable ideals. 

The 'it' actress and bad-ass leading lady of the moment Jennifer Lawrence has suffered her fair share of un-founded critique... Hearing friends and girls in general calling the (in reality gorgeous, slim and healthily toned, woman) actress chubby or a bit  too 'curvy' (without the positive connotation).  

This isn't by any means everyone's opinion though. A lot of people are standing up and hailing her as a much needed role-model for girls (of all ages) due to her outspoken, honest and healthy approach to weight, in particular as a woman constantly scrutinised in the public eye. 

So let's take a deep breath and remember to own it, work it and try to feel and stay healthy (a word often misused and misinterpreted) this Christmas. Without letting the outside world's pressures or insecurities becoming our own, find your own balance. 

For some inspiration check out Miss Aniston's own fave work-out tips from her Yoga instructor here. 

And one of my favourites, the Londoner's anti-diet, can be found here. 

xo

Tea time and other Richmond Adventures

On Sunday I very excitedly hopped into Mr blue (the car) and set off to Richmond for a long overdue catchup with the lovely miss Anastasia (to follow her general epicness, quirky lookbooks and commentary on working in the Media Industry, all in blog form, check out The Film Graduate Diaries here). 

As our craving for a cuppa had to be filled sharpish we spotted this little gem.

Boasting a selection of teas AND Monmouth coffee (this delicious blend has taken London by storm, popping up in more and more locations all with a common theme of quirk, passion, and casual hipsters in the immediate vicinity). 

They apparently also do a 'Current US President Special' as can be seen with their 'Obamarama' blend. 

The menu also boasts some 'Tipsy Tea', how brilliant is this! I've tried cocktails in tea cups before, but this is a whole new adventure.  Some Squiffy Earl or a bit of The Red Squirrel anyone? 

In the end we still settled on some classics, as I ordered a Roiboos and Miss A went for the good ol' Camomile with some honey. 

We both immediately started scanning the rooms for ways to bring this little tea spoon stirrer home. Fortunately a waitress took pity and pointed out that there was also a little sales shelf where we could shop to our little tea-drinking desires.

Being the lactose-intolerant food-porn addict I am the notion of 'dairy-free ice-cream' did not go un-noticed, and I helped myself to some Chai Latte with Chocolate Sauce. A mixture of flavours that plays away to different tunes on your palette long after you've finished the portion. Adventures and a bit naughty, but lots of fun. 

We had brought our trusty laptops along for an afternoon of nattering and scribbling. But as I managed to get stuck in every traffic jam possible the slight delay left us accidentally chatting the day away. However, we did rest our eyes on another kind of keyboard.

As my birthday passed a little while ago miss Anastasia brought along a little package of goodness (thoroughly spoilt already) featuring this lovely tote! It's a beautiful mix of creamy/turquoise colours (my favourite blend) and features one of my top five must-finds-for-the-flat - the old school type writer. 

I may be a bit in love!

The quirky little touches didn't stop there, as our bill was served in a Treasure Chest. 

After realising the sun had long since said good night and we really ought to move onto dinner we started the stroll back to the car. But obviously got distracted by Whole Foods and their Christmas bakery. 

Being a food-lover with a slightly disadvantaged tummy places like Whole Foods is like a food haven. They offer a lot of control to the consumer, and a wide variety of choice without throwing big brands with complicated ingredient lists in your face right and left. 

You can even mix your own Muesli, or why not blend up your own porridge? And while you're at it, grab a bottle of the finest healthiest Olive Oil.

It's a pricey treat, but well worth it. Downstairs treated us to lactose and gluten free frozen yoghurt, natural ingredients to most everything we picked up, the finest fish and meat selections, and rows after rows of fresh happy food. Just look at these eggs!

Upstairs isn't bad either, turning the idea of fast food into a filling but nutritious on-the-go experience, and a health shop with vitamins and natural remedies at your disposal. 

So for the obligatory Lookbook post... 

// Jacket by Zara // Boots by New Look // Jeggings ala Pull n Bear // Scarf by Alexander McQueen

Until next time.

xoxo

P